Weft feeler for automatic looms



Dec, 2?, 1932.

EGLI WEFT FEELER FOR AUTOMATIC LOOMS.

Filed April 1, 1930 Patented Dec. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNST EGLI, OF RUTI, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR T MASGHINENFAIBRIK RTTTI VORMALS CASPAR HONEGGER, OF RUTI, SWITZERLAND WEFT FEELER FOR AUTOMATIC LOOMS Application filed April 1, 1930, Eerial No. 440,794, and in Switzerland April 13, 1929.

The known sliding weft feelers with a feeler wire for automatic looms have the disadvantage, when used for very fine weft threads, for instance natural silk crepe weft,

that they are not sufficiently sensitive, that is to say the feeler wire has either too much or too little hold on the single, fine layer of threads and on the smooth cop used for this purpose to overcome at the right moment the 1 resistance of the rod work for initiating the change of cops.

WVith the weft feeler according to the present invention this disadvantage is overcome by the feeler wire, that is to say its sliding-off motion, not having to overcome directly the resistance offered to the initiation of the cop change, but by this resistance being overcome only after the feeler wire has slid off completely by the force of the forward stroke of the slay. The sliding-off motion of the feeler wire is thus a complete one during the first portion of the path travelled by the cop with respect to the feeler wire and only the remaining portion of the path travelled by the cop with respect to this wire provides the resistance overcoming motion required for initiating the change of cops. The result of this is, that with a minimum pressure of the feeler wire against the thread, which with 39 this hard twist weft on the hard support is essential for avoiding damage to the fine weft material, the feeler wire will nevertheless be sure to slide off properly.

For protecting the weft as far as possible the contact surface of the feeler wire is covered with a helical spring, presenting a uniformly notched surface as the contact surface and ensuring a proper sliding motion on the smooth cop.

In Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawing a constructional example of the invention is shown in three difierent working positions, in plan view and partly in horizontal section. Fig. 4 shows the head of the feeler wire to an enlarged scale.

1 is the feeler wire which is bent at the feeling end to form a triangle and at the other end to form a circle, is provided with two kinks 2 and 3 and is housed in a small box 4 a0 fixed on the breast beam so as to be displaceable therein and the enclosed end 5 of which is drawn by a spring 7 having one end attached to the box 4 and the other end to the kink 3 so as to rest normally against a projection 8 in the box 4. In the box 4 a pin 9 is arranged so as to be horizontally displaceable, which pin can be driven outwards by the feeler wire 1 and the object of which is to bring a partll supported by a spring 10 in front of a lever 12 which is in operative connection with the cop changing motion.

13 is a push member connected with the slay and swings to and fro therewith. The head of the feeler wire 1 is surrounded by a fine helical spring 14- (Figure 4). 15 is the cop in the shuttle (not shown) and 16 is the weft thread wound round the cop.

Figure 1 shows the feeler wire 1 in full lines in the position in which the fully wound cop 15 commences to push it forwards and in broken lines in the extreme forward position. The part 11 rests against the pin 9 but the latter does not rest against the feeler wire 1 and the connection between the push member 13 and the push lever 12 is interrupted. It is not possible for the feeler wire 1 to slip ofi the winding 16.

Figure 2 shows the feeler wire 1 resting against the almost empty cop 15 and deflected laterally during the first portion 05 of the forwardly swinging cop 15. The pin 9 is not yet in contact with the feeler wire 1 and the part 11 has therefore not yet been brought between the push member 13 and the push lever 12.

Figure 3 shows the feeler wire 1 deflected laterally and pushed back during the remaining part 3 of the path travelled by the cop 15. The pin 9 has been forced outwards by the inclined surface of the feeler wire 1 and the part 11 has thereby been pushed between the push member 13 and the push member 12, thus initiating the change of cops.

Figure 4 shows the head of the feeler wire 1 covered with a helical spring made of wire corresponding to the thickness of the weft being used.

From Figures 13 it will be seen that the sliding motion of the feeler wire is a very easy one, as there is practically no resistance to it during the swinging motion of the feeler Wire, and that the resistance overcoming motion for initiating the change of cops only takes place after the feeler wire has slid off laterally. With this feeler the weft can be used up to the last convolution. Thepressure of the feeler wire against the weft is so light that it does not damage the weft.

The wire for the spring 14 is of a thickness corresponding to the weft used.

What I claim is In an automatic loom, the combination of means for initiating the change of the cops, a side slipping feeler, including rounded corners, a helical spring wound around the feeling surface of the said feeler and its rounded corners, a pin adapted for longitudinal displacement and normally out of contact with the feeler, a spring-supported member adapted to be moved by the pin, a member which is in operative connection with the cop changing motion to act upon this motion, a push member connected to the slay, a kink and an inclined surface in the said feeler normally spaced from the said sliding pin and to push the spring supported member between the other said member and the push member to act upon the said pin only after a non-operative laterally slipping of the feeler-member, no appreciable resistance being opposed to this slipping movement.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

ERNST EGLI. 

